Comments for Williams Murray Hamm http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog Finding the truth in branding and integrated design Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:20:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 Comment on About by Richard Williams http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/about/#comment-3811 Richard Williams Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:20:04 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?page_id=2#comment-3811 This message took my breath away. Peter was head of the Sainsbury's design studio when I left college. I was desperate to work there since I loved their work. Peter's team invented modern own label design and did it with imagination and tremendous style. I finally got to meet him and show him my folder. I was terrified and heard nothing for months and imagined that I’d blown it. I was in a dire job in Uxbridge and could see my career going swiftly down the pan. Remarkably, Peter hadn’t forgotten me and I was taken on as a senior packaging designer the moment a vacancy came up and loved every moment of working with him. Instead of having to wade through endless meetings with buyers, defending your work and having it pulled apart, Peter was the most supportive person to work for and had created a brilliant system to get our work through the business. Buyers were banned from the studio and even chased out on occasion. Every Monday morning, Peter went to see Sir John Sainsbury and they went through all the work together. If Sir John didn’t like it, you did it again and if he did, it went to print. Bingo. They both understood that packaging was a corporate vehicle. It wasn’t about copying the brand leader, it was another tool to describe what Sainsbury’s stood for. Peter gave me my big break and I’m eternally grateful to him. This message took my breath away.

Peter was head of the Sainsbury’s design studio when I left college. I was desperate to work there since I loved their work. Peter’s team invented modern own label design and did it with imagination and tremendous style.

I finally got to meet him and show him my folder. I was terrified and heard nothing for months and imagined that I’d blown it. I was in a dire job in Uxbridge and could see my career going swiftly down the pan. Remarkably, Peter hadn’t forgotten me and I was taken on as a senior packaging designer the moment a vacancy came up and loved every moment of working with him.

Instead of having to wade through endless meetings with buyers, defending your work and having it pulled apart, Peter was the most supportive person to work for and had created a brilliant system to get our work through the business. Buyers were banned from the studio and even chased out on occasion. Every Monday morning, Peter went to see Sir John Sainsbury and they went through all the work together. If Sir John didn’t like it, you did it again and if he did, it went to print. Bingo.

They both understood that packaging was a corporate vehicle. It wasn’t about copying the brand leader, it was another tool to describe what Sainsbury’s stood for.

Peter gave me my big break and I’m eternally grateful to him.

]]> Comment on About by wmhadmin http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/about/#comment-3810 wmhadmin Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:27:35 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?page_id=2#comment-3810 Hi Peter, I will forward your message to Richard. We did indeed see the CR issue with Sainsbury's and commented: - - - Although the 1960's designs still look great now, we agree that they might miss the point on the current supermarket shelf. Especially considering that there are now double as many products on offer as in 1965. When designing the Basics range, we were of course inspired by the simplicity Peter Dixon's design and his coherent use of colour. Coincidently our own Richard Williams started his career in the 60ies under Peter Dixon at the Sainsbury's inhouse design team. - - - I am sure Richard will be in touch with you soon. Wybe @ Williams Murray Hamm Hi Peter,

I will forward your message to Richard.
We did indeed see the CR issue with Sainsbury’s and commented:

- – -
Although the 1960′s designs still look great now, we agree that they might miss the point on the current supermarket shelf. Especially considering that there are now double as many products on offer as in 1965. When designing the Basics range, we were of course inspired by the simplicity Peter Dixon’s design and his coherent use of colour.

Coincidently our own Richard Williams started his career in the 60ies under Peter Dixon at the Sainsbury’s inhouse design team.
- – -

I am sure Richard will be in touch with you soon.

Wybe @ Williams Murray Hamm

]]> Comment on About by Peter Dixon http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/about/#comment-3777 Peter Dixon Mon, 29 Aug 2011 08:57:15 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?page_id=2#comment-3777 Hi Richard / Picked up your name from the Creative Review blog...Thought I'd let you know I'm still in the land of the living!! Pleased to see you are still guideing Sainsburys along the right lines. What did you think of the Own Label book reviewed in the Sep issue of CR ? It seems to have created a lot of interest so far although I fail to see what all the fuss is about!!!...it came as a big surprise to me that anyone would want to publish such a book. I'm getting a bit long in the tooth now [ 82 ] but still get out for 9 holes of golf twice a week, weather permiting, Hope you are well and the company continues to prosper...wih my best wishes...Peter. Hi Richard / Picked up your name from the Creative Review blog…Thought I’d let
you know I’m still in the land of the living!! Pleased to see you are still guideing
Sainsburys along the right lines. What did you think of the Own Label book reviewed
in the Sep issue of CR ? It seems to have created a lot of interest so far although I
fail to see what all the fuss is about!!!…it came as a big surprise to me that anyone
would want to publish such a book. I’m getting a bit long in the tooth now [ 82 ] but
still get out for 9 holes of golf twice a week, weather permiting, Hope you are well
and the company continues to prosper…wih my best wishes…Peter.

]]> Comment on Sporting the badge…by Sam Lachlan. by Gaz Shaw http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/2011/05/sporting-the-badge%e2%80%a6by-sam-lachlan/#comment-3084 Gaz Shaw Tue, 07 Jun 2011 22:51:36 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?p=928#comment-3084 Wouldn't it be better just to have the cannon on its own? Wouldn’t it be better just to have the cannon on its own?

]]> Comment on Sporting the badge…by Sam Lachlan. by Craig Smith http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/2011/05/sporting-the-badge%e2%80%a6by-sam-lachlan/#comment-2900 Craig Smith Thu, 02 Jun 2011 22:59:42 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?p=928#comment-2900 I've no problem with Arsenal, but you weren't the first team to win the League 3 times in a row. That honour goes to Huddersfield Town, back when Herbert Chapman was our manager: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huddersfield_Town_F.C. However, you did start the tradition of teams walking out onto the pitch alongside each other at the '30 Final of the FA Cup, Arsenal vs Huddersfield. Chapman had both teams walk out at the same time as a mark of respect to his former club: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930_FA_Cup_Final Right, rant over, I'm off back to read the rest of your post! I’ve no problem with Arsenal, but you weren’t the first team to win the League 3 times in a row. That honour goes to Huddersfield Town, back when Herbert Chapman was our manager:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huddersfield_Town_F.C.
However, you did start the tradition of teams walking out onto the pitch alongside each other at the ’30 Final of the FA Cup, Arsenal vs Huddersfield. Chapman had both teams walk out at the same time as a mark of respect to his former club:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930_FA_Cup_Final

Right, rant over, I’m off back to read the rest of your post!

]]> Comment on I hate (most) packaging, says Richard by Gary http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/2011/03/i-hate-most-packaging-says-richard/#comment-2862 Gary Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:46:41 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?p=906#comment-2862 I've had this happen many a time with sandwiches http://inspirationalgeek.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/product-fail/ Though I do appreciate in recent months they have got a *bit* better. I’ve had this happen many a time with sandwiches
http://inspirationalgeek.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/product-fail/

Though I do appreciate in recent months they have got a *bit* better.

]]> Comment on I hate (most) packaging, says Richard by Tim http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/2011/03/i-hate-most-packaging-says-richard/#comment-2857 Tim Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:07:14 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?p=906#comment-2857 Totally agree. Even companies that are renowned for their good design, like apple, have some annoying examples. Sure, apples use of materials is much better than most, no one seems to use the same plastic as them. But still, I hate the way you open a box containing an iPad, with some difficulty because said box has no cutouts or lips to pull, and it's just staring at you. There's no obvious way to get the damned thing out, you end up either scrawling around the edge or turning the whole thing upside down and having the complete contence spill out all over the place. Totally agree. Even companies that are renowned for their good design, like apple, have some annoying examples. Sure, apples use of materials is much better than most, no one seems to use the same plastic as them. But still, I hate the way you open a box containing an iPad, with some difficulty because said box has no cutouts or lips to pull, and it’s just staring at you. There’s no obvious way to get the damned thing out, you end up either scrawling around the edge or turning the whole thing upside down and having the complete contence spill out all over the place.

]]> Comment on I hate (most) packaging, says Richard by Geoff Kinnane http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/2011/03/i-hate-most-packaging-says-richard/#comment-2733 Geoff Kinnane Thu, 26 May 2011 17:05:08 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?p=906#comment-2733 Yes! Ready Meal Curries have been driving me insane for years! Only from certain shops though- Sainsburys especially. It's supposedly designed to allow you to peal back the cover with the little lip bit. However the cover is fused to the Tray anyway so whenever I pull away at the lip it just tears off leaving the cover still stuck to the tray so I always have to slice the packaging in half burning my hands! Been wanting to complain about that for ages! Yes! Ready Meal Curries have been driving me insane for years! Only from certain shops though- Sainsburys especially. It’s supposedly designed to allow you to peal back the cover with the little lip bit. However the cover is fused to the Tray anyway so whenever I pull away at the lip it just tears off leaving the cover still stuck to the tray so I always have to slice the packaging in half burning my hands! Been wanting to complain about that for ages!

]]> Comment on Sporting the badge…by Sam Lachlan. by Kam http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/2011/05/sporting-the-badge%e2%80%a6by-sam-lachlan/#comment-1940 Kam Tue, 03 May 2011 21:48:36 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?p=928#comment-1940 Totally agree mate, they couldnt trademark the cannon therefore they changed it. They could have altered the cannon's size and shape to make it trademarked however i like the new cannon logo(not the crest) its big and threatening,and its facing europe. But on the other hand rgarding the crest the board have massacred a wonderful crest that had so much meaning and replaced it with something that a 8 year old has designed in a graphic design class! im all for making the logo more commercial and profitable but we could have spent more time on designing a nicer logo and we could have consulted the supporters on this issue, in which they werent! I really hope and pray that Kroenke will be able to change the club crest! Totally agree mate, they couldnt trademark the cannon therefore they changed it. They could have altered the cannon’s size and shape to make it trademarked however i like the new cannon logo(not the crest) its big and threatening,and its facing europe. But on the other hand rgarding the crest the board have massacred a wonderful crest that had so much meaning and replaced it with something that a 8 year old has designed in a graphic design class! im all for making the logo more commercial and profitable but we could have spent more time on designing a nicer logo and we could have consulted the supporters on this issue, in which they werent! I really hope and pray that Kroenke will be able to change the club crest!

]]> Comment on Frozen food is hot says Susie by packaging design http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/2011/01/frozen-food-is-hot-says-susie/#comment-946 packaging design Thu, 17 Feb 2011 06:59:24 +0000 http://www.williamsmurrayhamm.com/blog/?p=768#comment-946 It is not good to cook food that is frozen. It is dangerous to the health and can cause cancer too. But i agree with Susie her packaging design was intended to be good. Thanks! It is not good to cook food that is frozen. It is dangerous to the health and can cause cancer too. But i agree with Susie her packaging design was intended to be good. Thanks!

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